The present invention relates generally to lenticular images, and more particularly to a lenticular imaging system for viewing printed images on a printed article, the lenticular imaging system creating the illusion of three-dimensional (3-D) images moving or floating across the printed article.
Lenticular lenses and lenticular imaging systems are well known for use in producing various types of unique optical effects. A lenticular lens system generally includes a transparent sheet having a flat surface on one side thereof and a series of parallel longitudinal protrusions or ridges on the other side thereof creating a series of convex lenses on one side of the transparent sheet that may be applied to a printed sheet or substrate. The lenses are typically formed through injection molding, extruding, or embossing one side of the transparent sheet.
Lenticular image products include an array of lenticular lens elements positioned over a composite image as viewed through the lenticular lens elements. The composite image includes a plurality of images which are interleaved so that a different image is viewed through each lens element and at different viewing angles of each lens element. By moving the product and/or changing the viewing angle, the image changes. With this type of product, the printed image under the lenticular lens array may appear as a floating 3-D image to the viewer.
In forming this 3-D optical effect, various portions of the printed image respectively constitute a right eye view of the image and a left eye view of the image when looking through the lenticular lens array thereby creating the illusion of 3-D vision in the viewer's mind.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to produce printed products, which create the illusion of depth, three-dimensionality, and moving or floating of a printed image printed on a substrate situated beneath an array of printed lenses in the mind of a viewer.